Arranged Affair

Chapter 7 : Stark Broken

Rating: PG-13 (language)

Warning: Angst

Part Seven

Seven months later…

"Are you really deaf?"

When Tony didn't respond, Rhodey walked over to him and patted his shoulder gently.

"I'm not deaf, platypus, I'm not listening. It's a difference."

"Okay…" Rhodey trailed off and sat down on the couch next to Tony. "How's it like?" He asked finally.

"How's it like what?"

Tony passed his hands through his hair and stared forward at the mess that was his workshop.

"You know…"

Tony turned around to look at his friend. He hadn't expected the laid arm on his back as an assurance.

"It's… uh… fitting, I guess."

The response caught Rhodey off guard. He didn't think that his friend would blame himself for what happened, even though it wasn't his fault. Not entirely, at least.

"Hey, listen. We'd better start preparing for tonight's benefit. You're coming, right?"

"Yeah, sure." Tony mumbled and closed his eyes.

---

It had been a month since their wedding, but somehow it felt more than that. It felt like ten years had passed. She didn't know why she felt that way, but without no doubt it was Tony's fault. She had been reluctant to send him the invitation for the wedding, but Harvey had insisted.

She had hoped until the last second that he would show up, but he hadn't. Her heart ached in more than one way when Harvey had pushed the ring onto her third finger.

They returned home from their honeymoon in New Zealand earlier that day and she was exhausted. The whole month was in fact, very boring.

"I'll be in the kitchen, honey. I have to make some calls." Harvey shouted from their bedroom.

Exhausted and grumpy, she didn't want to respond so she settled into an armchair and stared out the window. Their new apartment was located into the heart of Los Angeles. From the eleventh floor she could easily see the crowded streets below.

A flash of red and gold caught her attention and she stood up wearily. She searched the sky, but it wasn't there. She looked down and froze when she heard a knock at the door.

"I don't mean to interrupt or anything, but you're needed at the company, Mrs. Ross."

Pepper looked at the man wearing a business suit and realized that he was a SI employee. She hadn't used to be called Mrs. Ross just yet, but she paid no mind.

"Give me five minutes." She responded and headed towards the bathroom.

---

"There's something wrong with him." Ralph said.

"Who's 'him'?" Pepper asked as they walked into the elevator.

"Mr. Stark. He's been yelling at the PR department for an hour and then he said something like 'I will watch you very carefully. All of you.' In my opinion he sounded really drunk."

"It wouldn't be the first time." Pepper whispered more to herself as the elevator came to a stop.

"I can't believe you don't know how to make a fucking coffee, you moron!" She stopped abruptly when she noticed Tony eyeing her PA with a death glare.